This application claims the priority of German application Nos. 197 18 519.3 and 197 46 571.4, filed May 2, 1997 and Oct. 22, 1997, respectively, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a car seat with fold-down seatbacks and an associated safety-belt system, the shoulder belt of which, in the upper corner of the seatback from the direction of the outside of the car, exits through a slot-like opening of a covering on the seatback in the direction of the belt user, and a seatback release arranged at a distance from the safety-belt deflector.
Such a seatback is described in DE 42 11 471 C2. There, an opening is arranged in the upper corner of the seatback, with a covering through which a shoulder belt is guided. The covering is an essentially plate-like component with a slot-like opening, mounted on bearings so it can pivot. Thereby, when the safety belt is used by persons of different size and height, the course of the belt can be better adapted to requirements. The known seatback release is formed as a notch lever on the outside of the seatback at a substantial distance from the covering. This embodiment, with its widely-separated functional parts, is very expensive and intensive in terms of assembly.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shoulder-belt passage and operation of the seatback release with a car seat such that, while retaining the required functionality, an attractive, easily-mountable functional group is achieved.
This object has been achieved according to the present invention with a car seat in which the covering together with the base frame accepting it on the upper corner of the seatback can be mounted as a unit and consists of two cover parts blending together on the exterior, of which the first cover part is formed as a hood-shaped cover covering the belt deflector and the second cover part, connected therewith, is formed by a recessed grip that can be pivoted forward in relation to the first cover part, so as to release the seatback.
Advantageously, only one functional unit is used on the outside of the seatback, accommodating the belt deflector and the seatback release, and which appears, from the outside, as one part. This functional unit is usable for any type of seat and requires only a minor expenditure to adapt it to the various types of car seats.
The use of a base frame advantageously allows the various cover parts on it to be combined into a prefabricated assembly unit and to be attached to the outside of the seat by snap-in or screw connection.
For better operation, the second cover part is provided with a recessed grip so that the flexible traction mechanism hung on the inside, used for the seat release, can be operated with certainty.